People have given a lot of names to Venice, such as “The City of Canals,” “The Floating City,” and “Serenissima”! Out of love and admiration. So, when we think about Venice, what instantly pops into our minds are its beautiful canals, gondola rides, architecture, and picturesque bridges.

As the city has been a trading and military centre in the past, its rich history is also why tourists keep visiting Venice. This article will introduce you to insider tips on things to do in Venice.

In Venice, you need a properly planned tour so you don’t get lost in crowds that cover almost every inch of the city.

Venice was far and beyond better than what we see in movies. From riding the feather-weight gondolas floating effortlessly on the grand canal to the overwhelming historical experience of visiting the Bridge of Sighs, the city transports you to another world.

Without further ado, let’s figure out this list of places to visit and things to do in Venice

1. Venice: Queen Of The Adriatic

Venice is a romantic, serene city in Italy, often called the capital of the Veneto region. It is spread across 118 small islands separated by narrow canals and linked by almost 400 beautiful bridges. The islands seem to be floating on the Venetian lagoon, a bay between the mouths of the Po and Piave rivers. Venice Lagoon has also been declared a World Heritage site.

The city’s list of popular attractions and things to be done is too long. So, I recommend you explore the city and see all the colours Venice offers. The best time to visit Venice is between spring and autumn, but visiting during carnivals can be exempted.

Venice is beautiful in every way possible, and once you explore the city with your whole heart, you will see nothing about this place you won’t fall for. Beautiful bridges, quaint streets, and little souvenir shops seem to be calling for you. So, let’s start our journey to this amazing city and discover everything we can explore here.

1.1. Cruising The Grand Canal

Numerous tiny canals run through Venice, touching the buildings, almost touching themselves. The Grand Canal is the vast expanse of water busy with reverberating water taxis, or “motoscafi” in Italian.

The grand canal is an “S-shaped” water expanse that runs through the two islands of Venezia and connects the entry point into the city, Saint Lucia Railway Station, to St. Mark’s Square.

Hiring your water taxi and touring the Grand Canal are musts. The tour gives a tourist a new point of view to look at the city. All the lit-up palaces and buildings along the canal banks seem to transport you to another world.

1.2. Start From St. Mark’s Square

Also known as “Piazza San Marco,” it is your first stop to see during your Venice visit. The square gives a unique Venetian vibe. St. Mark’s Square houses some of the most famous Venice attractions like St. Square Basilica, Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s campanile.

St Mark’s Square is a bustling square for people and bird watching. One can reach the square by waterways or walk an hour from the railway station. However, the attraction is colossal area-wise but seems to shrink during the day because of the vast number of tourists. Visiting the same at night is a better way to appreciate the beauty of the square.

1.3. Wander Around Castello

Take a break from Venice’s busy streets and visit the quieter Venetian neighbourhood of Castello, just a 15-minute walk from St. Mark’s Square.

Here, you can enjoy the bSquarelatos and hop on one of the gondolas to tour the grand canal, away from the hustle-bustle of the central city.

1.4. St. Mark’s Basilica

Also known as Basilica di San Marco, St. Mark’s Basilica is situated on the eastern end of St. Mark’s Square. Saint Mark’s Basilica is an excellent example of Byzantine architecture and one of Italy’s most important religious buildings.

The Basilica di San Marco is also one of the significant Venice attractions and one of the most impressive cathedrals worldwide; hence, it is also the most crowded place in Venezia. Booking the tickets to the basilica in advance is a must, or you can also book a guided tour to avoid the hassle.

1.5. Doge’s Palace

Doge’s Palace at St. Mark’s Square is the perfect masterpiece of Gothic architecture. It overlooks the Grand Canal and features white stone arches and diamond patterns on the walls. Built in 1340, the Palace was home to the Doge of Venezia, the highest city of the former republic.

You can visit the Palace just after crossing the bridge of Sighs. Doges Palace is an important landmark representing Venetian history with beautiful interiors and exteriors.

1.6. San Sebastiano

Yet another church where will you find the works of Tiepolo. The best thing about the church is not only its impressive architecture but also that it is quieter and less touristy than Saint Mark.

1.7. Visit The Horological Clock (St. Mark’s Clock)

Quite near St. Mark’s Square is St. Mark’s clock tower, also known as Torre Dell Orologio, which is the first sizeable astronomical clock built in Europe.

The two floors on the lower level of the bell tower join into an archway that reaches out into the main street called the Merceria, which links St. Mark’s Square to the Rialto.

1.8. Basilica Di Santa Maria Della Salute

Although Basilica di Santa Maria Della Salute is not as famous as St. Mark’s Basilica, this beautiful tourist attraction is located on the other side of the grand canal to San Marco.

1.9. Rialto Bridge

The oldest and the most famous bridge among the only four bridges that cross the grand canal in the city, the Rialto bridge, famous in Italy as the Ponte di Rialto, offers the best views of the canal while travelling it.

Remember to visit before hours and arrive early to take up the best spot if you want to take many pictures. Some shops and boutiques are on the bridge where you can buy Italian leather shoes and handbags.

1.10. Explore Rialto Markets

Just underneath the Ponte di Rialto are the Rialto markets or Mercado di Rialto, a 1000-year-old fresh food market. If you are an early bird, catch a dawn tour of these markets and experience busy stallholders setting up for the day.

Bon appetite! On this tour, stallholders will sample different foods and enjoy the Venetian flavours on the streets. Have time to dig in prawn Cicchetti.

1.11. Bridge Of Sighs

Bridge of Sighs is small compared to other bridges in Venice but can be seen as an essential landmark in Venetian history. It is made of white limestone. It is built over Rio di Palazzo and connects the new prison to Doge’s Palace.

As the legend goes, the small windows on the bridge were used by prisoners going for their final judgment to have one last glimpse of the city.

1.12. Climb Up The San Marco Campanile

One of the tallest buildings in Venice, St. Mark’s Campanile, is also known as Campanile di San Marco. This is a bell tower to the St. Mark’s Basilica, which earlier served as a lighthouse to the lagoon and offered the best panoramic views.

Though Campanile di San Marco may be a turn-off as it may keep you forever in its queues, the views are amazing.

1.13. Wander Around Castello

Take a break from Venice’s busy streets and visit the quieter Venetian neighbourhood of Castello, just a 15-minute walk from St. Mark’s Square.

Here, you can enjoy the bSquarelatos and hop on one of the gondolas to tour the grand canal, away from the hustle-bustle of the central city.

1.14. Admire The View From The Accademia Bridge

Though this wooden bridge is not as famous as other bridges in Venice that cross the Grand Canal, like the Bridge of Sighs and Rialto Bridge, it offers a Grand Canal view of the bridge.

1.15. Visit The Accademia Gallery

Located just opposite Ponte Dell’Accademia is Gallerie dell’Accademia, which features a pre-19th century Renaissance art collection that includes “the Vitruvian Man.” It also features Tiepolo, Giorgione, Canaletto, Veronese, and Tintoretto paintings.

1.16. Visit Canareggio

Another sestieri in Venice is Canareggio, a Jewish district home to the Jewish ghetto. Unlike other parts of the city, it is a flooded district with tourist crowds.

While you enjoy food and drinks like a local in this district, do not miss to visit Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta, a church with impressive interiors.

1.17. San Giorgio Maggiore

Suppose you love the city views from Saint Mark’s clock tower. In that case, you should know that the best views of Venice are offered by the bell tower in San Giorgio Maggiore, opposite St. Mark’s Basilica, and can be seen by the tourists entering Venice by sea.

To catch the best view, you need to climb up the bell tower (well, not precisely a climb) by just taking an elevator to the top.

1.18. Take A Gondola Ride

When you visit Venice, taking a gondola ride seems cliche but it is an experience. A gondola can accommodate almost six people at a time, and the ride rate is charged on 40 40-minute basis. You can take a private gondola tour or a shared one, which is comparatively cheaper.

Although the city of Venice determines the official rates for a gondola ride, don’t expect the actual rates to be the same. You can always negotiate the charges with gondoliers before you take the ride to save an extra Venetian penny.

1.19. Visit Teatro La Fenice

Burnt and rebuilt over the years, enjoying an opera in Teatro La Fenice is an absolute delight. The stunning building and the opera will be a proven “once-in-a-lifetime experience” for you.

1.20. Other Exciting Stuff One Must Try

When you visit Venice, the best places to visit are the top tourist attractions like St. Mark’s Square, St. Mark’s Basilica, The Bridge of Sighs and Doges Palace. But suppose you have already witnessed these beautiful masterpieces of architecture and have some time left on your hands. You can involve yourself in some of these activities to make your trip memorable.

1.20.1. Wander Around

Like almost every city in Europe, Venice is best explored on foot. I would advise you to head out, click pictures, grab a drink, walk along the Grand Canal and feel the authentic vibe of Venice.

After visiting for hours, I recommend walking around major attractions like St. Mark’s Square, Doges Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs and Experiencing their beauty on a starry night without any crowds present. Doing this will give you a whole new perspective of Venice.

1.20.2. Go To The Beach

People don’t generally consider visiting a beach while visiting Venice, but these golden sand beaches are your break from bustling Venice crowds.

Most beaches are within an hour’s travel from Venice, among which Venice Lido is the easiest to reach.

1.20.3. Visit Skyline Rooftop Bar

A perfect way to spend your remaining time in Venice is to check out some Venetian bars like Skyline Rooftop Bar, where you can enjoy your drink luxuriously while watching the sunset. The bar opens late, so you can sit back, relax and enjoy whatever time you have left in Venice.

1.20.4. Book A Walking Tour

After getting booked for a guided tour of all the major attractions in Venice, booking a walking tour is best. Several walking tours are available with different agencies you can choose from depending on your area of interest, ranging from food to living like a local.

1.20.5. Try Venetian Cuisine

Whenever you visit a place, you should try to eat local food; the same goes for Venice. Head onto the streets, find a local restaurant and try Venetian cuisine like goose and lobster with Prosecco.

1.20.6. Hire A Water Taxi

We talked earlier about taking a gondola from the Jewish ghetto and getting a tour of the Grand Canal.

An alternative to that is you can hire a water taxi after hours, when there is no rush, and ride down the Grand Canal to enjoy the sun setting in the sparkling waters.

1.20.7. Visit Harry’s Bar

Visiting Harry’s bar can be a cliche experience, like taking a gondola ride, for some people because Harry’s bar, which invented the Bellini, is long gone. When you visit Harry’s bar, you can ponder that you are sharing the space that was once visited by celebrities.

1.20.8. Enjoy At Venice Jazz Club

Venice Jazz Club is another hub you can visit if you love jazz, where you can sit back, relax, drink, and listen to great music, far from the bustling crowds of Saint Mark and San Polo.

1.21. Take A Day Trip

If you have more time to spend in the city and would like to explore more, there are some day trips to the islands that you can take from Venice and enjoy the beauty of the Veneto region.

These islands are not as crowded as Venice, and you can enjoy peace away from town. Let’s look at some of these trips.

1.21.1. Lido Island

To escape the crowds of central Venice, take a day trip to the Lido islands, which separate the Venice lagoon from the Adriatic Sea. The island has excellent shops, restaurants and hotels and is quieter, unlike the bustling streets and waterways of the Grand Canal.

1.21.2. Murano Island

A day trip to the Murano islands is also a fantastic idea. Venetians have had a great skill in glasswork for ages, and hence Venice became one of the leading producers and exporters of glass throughout Europe in the Middle Ages.

You can visit the Middle Ages Museum to learn more about the artistry and buy some glass souvenirs on your way back.

1.21.3. Burano Island

If you have become a fan of Central Venice and its beauty, wait to visit Burano’s colourful islands at the northern end of the Venice lagoon.

The island is famous for its embroidery and lace and features a museum that exhibits traditional art in the town.

1.21.4. Prosecco Region

A day trip to a declared UNESCO World Heritage site, Italy’s Prosecco region, is just an hour from Venezia if you are willing to ride a train from the central train station. The Prosecco region is where grapes for Italy’s most popular sparkling wine- Prosecco, are grown. Prosecco is a white, clear, sparkling wine originally from Italy.

1.21.5. Torcello Islands

Away from the busy crowds of Venezia, the Torcello Islands are located behind the Burano Islands and are just 45 minutes away if you travel by ferry.

Bottom Line

While you focus more on what to do in Venezia, you should also consider where to stay in Venezia. With the drawback of sky-high charges in centrally located hotels and Airbnbs, you can conveniently get around the city as they are close to the Grand Canal.

While several better options are available on the mainland, you should also pay attention to the availability of public transport from the hotel. We hope that at the end of this article, you can better understand things to do in Venice and thus plan your Venetian trip most efficiently.

Last Updated on July 11, 2024 by Sathi Chakraborty